Thane College Student Assaulted For Not Speaking Marathi, Dies By Suicide

Thane: A 19-year-old college student died by suicide at his home in Maharashtra's Thane district allegedly due to mental distress after being beaten up by a group of youths in a local train for reportedly not speaking Marathi, police said on Thursday.

The student, Arnav Jitendra Khaire, was a resident of Kalyan area in Thane.

The incident took place on November 18 while he was travelling to his college in Mulund in a local train. He allegedly got into an argument with a group of commuters over the Hindi-Marathi row and was assaulted.

Arnav's father alleged that around four to five youths humiliated his son and beat him up inside the train, for not speaking Marathi. "The group asked, 'Don't you speak Marathi? Are you not ashamed?' My son took the drastic step due to mental stress following the incident," his father said.

ACP Kalyanji Ghete said a case of accidental death has been filed at Kolsewadi police station and further investigations are underway.

Locals have demanded a thorough investigation and action against the accused group.

The incident has once again raised questions on the 'Marathi-Hindi' dispute, linguistic discrimination and its impact on the minds of the younger generation.

Suicide is not a solution: If you are having suicidal thoughts, or you are worried about a friend, or you need emotional support, then there is someone who is always there to listen to you. Call the Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences helpline at 9152987821 (available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm).

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